Braxton Miller will have a new cast of characters surrounding him on stage this season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer has a need for speed.

In his short tenure at Ohio State, the coach has quickly stockpiled players who fit his offensive vision. The Buckeyes' latest recruiting class is no exception, with players such as Curtis Samuel, Parris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon, who all qualify as being fleet of foot.

They join Ezekiel Elliott, the favorite to assume a starting running back position left vacant by the departure of Carlos Hyde, and Dontre Wilson, the speedster who totaled 460 yards as a freshman.

"[They] are those prototype guys, hybrid-type players we're looking for," Meyer said. … "We have to get our speed up, [and also] overall offensive skill, but we have, from where it was two years ago to where it is now."

Braxton Miller will have a new cast of characters surrounding him on stage this season. He'll have four new starting offensive linemen up front, a new tailback and a handful of new faces factoring in at receiver and the H-back position.

"We have a guy coming back that's a seasoned veteran and has continued to improve his game," said offensive coordinator Tom Herman. "We have to make sure everybody around him is up to that level."

Meyer referred to Samuel on National Signing Day as being "electric fast." Running backs coach Stan Drayton called him "a very dynamic player."

"He brings speed to our backfield that I don't believe we've had since I've been here," Drayton said.

Receivers coach Zach Smith said Wilson would work with his position group and Samuel would work under Drayton's direction, though the exact plan for how to use the glut of speedsters without defined roles remains undetermined.

Drayton said he hopes Samuel can fill a role similar to that of Jordan Hall. Traditionally a tailback, Hall occasionally lined up at receiver. Wilson often played the part last season. Could Samuel make a similar impact during his first season in Columbus?

"They're similar in the fact they can run from point A to point B really fast," Drayton said. "Dontre's got some playing experience under his belt. They were used similarly coming out of high school. They were coming from a spread offense where they were asked to do some of the same things.

"What we don't know about Curtis Samuel right now is: How is he going to respond when he's in The 'Shoe with 108,000 people looking at him. When the ball is in the air, is he going to muff it or bow up and embrace the moment? We do know that Dontre Wilson doesn't flinch in that situation.

"So it's a lot of those intangible things that have an effect on the productivity of a young football player at this level. We do know that he definitely has a set of tools that's going to be a valuable asset to our offense. How he could bring that to the table in his first year, we'll see."

Meyer stressed last week that the incoming recruiting class would be relied upon to contribute. Herman pointed to Dixon, a receiver from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., as a freshman who could earn considerable playing time in his first year. Seniors Devin Smith and Evan Spencer are expected to start at receiver, though Zach Smith refused to guarantee a starting spot to either veteran, instead calling it an open competition.

That could open the door for more touches for Wilson, Samuel or Campbell, another shifty threat who played multiple roles in high school. Meyer said Campbell "should be one of the fastest guys in the state of Ohio."

Dixon and Samuel enrolled early at Ohio State and have participated in off-season workouts.

"Having seen them go through workouts and agility drills and things like that," Herman said, "it definitely excites you."

Herman doesn't anticipate any hesitation when it comes to inserting the youngsters into the fold on offense.

"The skill guys are obviously the easier ones to transition," Herman said. "As long as they're physically developed and can handle the mental workload and the wear and tear of a college football season, then they'll play. …

"We just have to see what our needs are and what they do best and figure out where to put those pieces of the puzzle when the time comes."

Those pieces are getting faster. And that makes the head coach excited.

Said Meyer: "We're getting close."

The daughter of former Indians player and coach Ted Uhlaender remains a vivid reflection of father, says former Indians manager Charlie Manuel.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mention the Cleveland Indians to three-time Olympic skeleton athlete Katie Uhlaender and the floodgate to her heart opens. The emotions pour down a slippery slope and careen almost out of control.

The reasons run deep.

At first, she's a 15-year-old girl and it's the summer of 2000. Her crush is coming up to the plate and pointing his bat toward right field.

“I just remember falling in love with Jim Thome,'' she said.

It wasn't the normal teen crush on the personable Tribe power hitter. From an early age, Uhlaender was able to see people beyond their claims to fame, the same way she forces people to think of her as more than Olympian in a crazy event with florescent red hair.

View full sizeFormer Cleveland Indians first base coach Ted Uhlaender jumps to congratulate Travis Fryman in 2001. Uhlaender died in 2009, three years after his daughter, Katie, competed in her first Olympics. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

“Jim Thome was in line with the traditionalist generation and the way the game used to be played,'' Uhlaender said. “I loved baseball for what it was and I hope that it returns to that.''

From there, it's a short mental swing to the coach and manager who made Thome a star, Charlie Manuel, whom Uhlaender considers a second father and describes with one word: “Grit.''

And that lands her on the slipperiest slope yet, her father, former Indians player and coach Ted Uhlaender.

“Charlie has the kind of grit we need nowadays,'' she says. “That's what my father was about, and that's why Charlie and my dad were such great friends. I feel blessed to have had men like that in my life to look up to, and I try to live up to those standards and advocate the traditionalist generation.''

Katie's fierce independent streak was in full bloom as a teenager, especially when she would come to visit her father while he coached first base for the Indians teams Manuel managed.

“She always was doing things and mom and dad would get on her,'' Manuel recalled this week in a phone interview. “She was a tough kid back then as far as mentally tough and not afraid of things.''

That, of course, is the No. 1 requirement for folks in Katie Uhlaender's line of work. Skeleton athletes slide head first on a track built for the bobsled at speeds approaching 90 mph. Few in the world do it as well as Uhlaender, 29. She won the 2012 World Championship and previously earned silver and bronze medals. Her best finish on the World Cup this season is sixth with several finishes out of the top 10. She has been eighth and sixth in her first two training runs at the Sochi Winter Olympics. She competes Thursday and Friday.

When Katie slides, she'll have hanging on a necklace or tucked in her helmet some combination of her father's baseball card, his thick, gold 1972 National League championship ring won as player with the Cincinnati Reds, and a small silver baseball that contains a bit of Uhlaender's ashes.

Ted Uhlaender died Feb. 12, 2009, of a heart attack after a long battle with cancer. He was 68. One year later, on Feb. 12, 2010, Katie marched in the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics with a broken heart. Days later she placed a disappointing 11th. She had been sixth at the 2006 Olympics.

“Before he died, I would call him every day of a race, even if for just five minutes. He gave me this undeniable sense of purpose,'' Katie said. “That's what gave me the drive of a warrior.

“When I lost him, I had no purpose, and a ton of passion and nowhere to put it. To get it back was such a long road. I was like an adolescent teenager stomping my feet, saying 'I want my dad!' I didn't want to do it by myself.

“Now I've grown up and see I have the tools he left behind for me.''

Weeks after winning the 2012 World Championship, Katie attempted to make the U.S. Olympic team as a weightlifter. She fell short, but still is considering another run at the 2016 Summer Games.

The new challenge didn't surprise Manuel, who sees in Katie a vivid reflection of Ted.

“They even look alike,'' he said. “Both of them have the same personality. They are determined and resilient. She sets out to do something, nothing is going to get in her way.

“Ted was a hard worker just like Katie is. Nothing got in his way. They were definitely hard losers. Winning is what they set out to be doing.''

View full sizeU.S. skeleton athlete Katie Uhlaender waves to photographers after a training run Saturday at the Sochi Winter Olympics. AP

Katie has had her share of obstacles, including a serious 2009 snowmobiling accident that shattered her kneecap, and hip surgery in 2011. Last October, she suffered a concussion on a training run, which may explain some of her struggles this season.

She said she still feels like she's in recovery from the loss of her father. Frequent talks with Manuel, his longtime companion, Missy Martin, and others have given her the most confidence. Because of that, she said it won't be just the reminders of her father she'll carry with her as she flies down the icy slope with an open heart and her father's grit.

“I was shattered and I had to create a mosaic. What's created now is for myself, but at the same time, every piece of me was built with other people's help, whether it was my community, or my friends or my father's friends, who understood what he was about,'' she said. “It just has given me an overwhelming sense of responsibility, to keep chasing my dream and to not let down the people who helped me get here.

“I'm finally able to open up and attack everything. I don't have to hold back because I'm injured or protecting myself because I'm hurting from the death of my father. I'm ready. I'm strong enough.''

Katie Uhlaender

Country: United States

Sport: Skeleton

Age: 29

Competition dates: Feb. 13-14.

Olympic experience: 2010, 11th; 2006, 6th.

Ohio connection: Lived in Cincinnati and Columbus during the Indians and Reds career of her late father, Ted Uhlaender. Ted Uhlaender played and coached for the Indians and Reds, and was a Columbus Clippers coach.

Notable: Three-time world championships medalist, gold (2012), silver (2008), bronze (2007). Two-time world cup overall champion (2007-08). Three-time national champion (2003-04, 2007). Best World Cup finish this season is sixth at St. Moritz. Owns an 800-acre cattle ranch. Lives in Vail, Colo.

MENTOR, Ohio – There was Baleigh Reid for the basket. For the putback. The steal. The layup. The foul. The free throw. The three.

MENTOR, Ohio – There was Baleigh Reid for the basket.

For the putback. The steal. The layup. The foul. The free throw. The three.

There was Baleigh Reid, cementing the win.

On Saturday against No. 8 Mentor girls basketball team (13-6), Reid scored a game-high 35 points or 66 percent of the Tigers’ total points in their win against Mentor.

There was Reid, at the top of the standings, as Twinsburg (12-9) took down another ranked foe, 53-49.

“This is great,” Reid said. “It’s an amazing feeling. I had to put up a lot of points to win.”

The last time the two teams faced off, Mentor won by 15.

“I didn’t want that to happen again, at all,” Reid said. “So I did all I could.”

On Saturday, during Mentor’s Parents Day, that included the non-Cardinal Reid going 14-of-21 from the floor, 1-for-1 from beyond the arc, 6-of-7 from the free throw line, including two steals and two blocked shots.

It wasn’t all Reid’s ball game, though.

Mentor senior Kayla Gabor scored 23 points, including going perfect from the charity stripe. Cardinal senior Christine Dawson also contributed 10 points.

At the end of the first quarter, even though Reid scored 11 points, Mentor led 16-13 thanks to four different scorers.

It wasn’t until a basket scored by Jaime Sanborn with 1:58 to go in the second quarter that Twinsburg grabbed its first lead of the game. The Tigers went into the locker room at the half leading 28-26. Reid contributed 22 of those 28 points.

Twinsburg coach Julie Solis tips Reid’s contributions to her being a senior and the team’s only returning starter from last year’s state runner-up team.

“She’s played behind some great players and this was her opportunity to show what she can do,” Solis said. “She’s been incredibly consistent for us. … She’s tough to guard. Her athleticism and her speed make her tough to defend.

“I think what makes her better now is when she does get double and triple teamed in the second half, she is finding the open person. Now if we could consistently knock down those other shots.”

Solis’ message at halftime, though, wasn’t to give the ball to Reid more. It was to grab offensive rebounds.

“We gave up 12 offensive boards,” Solis said. “We weren’t real happy about that. We only gave up two in the second half.”

The game stayed close through the third quarter, with Gabor and Reid leading their team’s scoring.

Then came the start of the third, when Twinsburg senior Tranae Conard knocked down her only basket of the game, a three from top of the left side of the arc.

It was one of three baskets hit in the second not scored by Reid.

Mentor coach Steve Thompson kept trying to call his players off some Twinsburg ballhandlers to screen or double and triple team Reid.

“I have freshman that aren’t used to playing at this level,” Thompson said of a starting lineup that includes two freshman, as well as a freshman and sophomore who regularly come off the bench. “When you tell them to leave a player to help, they’re not sure if they want to do that.

“Except for Dawson and Gabor, we played like a team of freshman.”

It allowed Twinsburg to take the second Northeast Ohio Conference matchup to even the series to 1-and-1 this season.

That didn’t bother Thompson though.

“The last four games is going to be about bringing along those younger kids,” Thompson said. “We’re not going to do well in the tournament without those younger kids. Don’t be surprised if after the next four games, you look up and we went 0-4.”

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Eastern Michigan (13-10, 5-5 Mid-American) snapped a 17-game losing streak against Kent State (12-11, 3-7) , using a 15-2 run to open a 28-14 lead en route to a 35-25 halftime advantage.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Ray Lee and Darell Combs each scored 15 points, leading Eastern Michigan over Kent State 70-53 Saturday.

Eastern Michigan (13-10, 5-5 Mid-American) snapped a 17-game losing streak against Kent State (12-11, 3-7) , using a 15-2 run to open a 28-14 lead en route to a 35-25 halftime advantage.

The Golden Flashes cut the lead to 35-32 early in the second half, but Eastern Michigan responded with a 20-3 run and Kent State could not recover.

Kent State shot 46 percent from the field in the first half before shooting just 27 percent after the break as Eastern Michigan pulled away.

Karrington Ward added 10 points for the Eagles, including two 3-pointers as Eastern Michigan made 5 of 12 3-pointers compared with 4 of 26 from long range for Kent State.

Darren Goodson and Derek Jackson each scored 11 to lead the Golden Flashes.

The Italians took a decisive lead in the best-of-5 Fed Cup while winning both singles matches Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The United States fell into a 2-0 hole to Italy in this weekend's Federation Cup tie after the top American seed, Madison Keys, fell to Italy's No. 2 seed, Camila Giorgi, 6-2, 6-1 at Public Auditorium.

The countries play a best-of-5 tie, and play resumes Sunday at noon when Keys takes on Italy's No. 1 seed Karin Knapp. The Americans will have to sweep the two singles matches and then a doubles match in order to advance.

In the first match of the day, Knapp topped the U.S. No. 2, Christina McHale, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

The winner of the first-round matchup advances to the World Group semifinals in April, and will face the winner of Czech Republic vs. Spain.

Knapp put the Italy ahead early when she rallied from a weak second set to come away with a decisive third set in which she connected on 81 percent of her first serves.

Giorgi, meanwhile, faced little resistance from Keys, using sharp groundstrokes and a precise service return that helped push the American to numerous unforced errors. 

The U.S. collects its first gold medal on first full day of competition at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Saturday was just another day at the office for the the Land of the Midnight Sun.

We're talking Winter Olympics, and we're talking Winter Olympics superpower Norway, the all-time medals leader.

The first full day of competition at XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, saw Norway win four of the 15 medals awarded, and two of the five gold medals.

Marit Bjoergen won gold in the women's 15-kilometer skiathlon, the first of what could be as many as six medals at this Olympics. But the woman affectionately known as Norway's “Iron Lady'' broke down in tears after the race as she embraced two teammates. They were grieving the death of teammate Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen's brother a day earlier and dedicated the race to his family.

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen won the country's other gold in men's 10-kilometer biathlon.

American snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg won a somewhat unlikely gold medal in slopestyle, a new Olympic event. The only American to make the final, he said a recent World Cup win had been his only other gold medal since he was about 11 years old.

American moguls skier Hannah Kearney was unable to successfully defend her 2010 gold medal. She took home a bronze medal behind Canadian sisters Justine and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe, who won gold and silver, respectively.

The Netherlands swept the 5,000-meters speedskating final and Sven Kramer set an Olympic record.

The U.S. women's hockey team opened with a 3-1 victory over Finland. Kelli Stack of Brooklyn Heights gave Team USA the breathing room it needed with a second-period goal for a 2-0 lead.

NBC's primetime telecast at 8 p.m. tonight is to feature slopestyle, women's moguls and team figure skating, which saw Ashley Wagner lay down what appeared to be a redemptive performance in the women's short program, though the judges did not agree. But her score and the first-place marks by ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White moved the U.S. from seventh to third, and into Sunday's final.

Team figure skating is one of eight medal events Sunday, including men's downhill, women's snowboard slopestyle and women's 3,000-meter speedskating.

All events will be live streamed at nbcolympics.com.

Italy's Karin Knapp and Camila Giorgi gave their country decisive victories, and the Americans will be forced to scramble Sunday to try to salvage a victory.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – After watching returns fly past her time and again, some land with force at her feet and others kiss the edges of the lines out of her reach, the United States' top seed Madison Keys was asked if the hard-court surface at Public Auditorium was fast.

"I don't think it was fast," Keys said. "She was fast."

She was Camila Giorgi, the tiny Italian dynamo who used blistering service returns and serves consistently over 100 mph to dominate Keys on the way to a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the Fed Cup.

Giorgi's overwhelming performance, coupled with Karin Knapp's 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 toppling of American Christina McHale, pushed Italy to a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-5 Fed Cup tie. That's a hole that will be difficult to escape; the United States is 0-10 when down 0-2 in the Fed Cup since the World Group format began in 1995.

The 18-year-old Keys has an opportunity at redemption Sunday when she takes on Italy's No. 1 seed, Karin Knapp, at noon in the first match of the day. If she wins, U.S. No. 2 Christina McHale will face Giorgi, potentially followed by a decisive doubles match that currently is slated to be Gates Mills' Lauren Davis and Alison Riske against Italy's Nastassja Burnett and Alice Matteucci.

"The good news is we're still in it," U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez said. "Now, the pressure's on."

The pressure is on Keys to perform better than she did in a loss to Italy's No. 2 seed Giorgi in which she never really was in the match while committing 47 unforced errors in front of 3,036 fans at Public Auditorium.

Giorgi had a little to do with Keys' display, however, as the 5-6 player needed just an hour to dismiss her American opponent with powerful and precise groundstrokes, a return that consistently was back in play before Keys could react, and a lightness of feet that made her appear to be skittering around the court effortlessly.

"I mean, she just wasn't missing today," Keys said. "She was going for her shots. She could keep going for them because she kept making them."

Fernandez tried every bit of advice she could think of for Keys, who was making her Fed Cup debut, but Giorgi's return, in particularly, was confounding.

"First and second serves, the ball was back at Madison before Madison finished serving," Fernandez said.

Giorgi's Fed Cup debut came just after her teammate, Knapp, had toppled McHale in a laborious battle pitting the only two players with any Fed Cup experience. After splitting the first two sets, Knapp lost only one game in the third set, and admitted she knew the pressure was on to perform well for Italy from the start.

"I'm the No. 1. The other girls are new," Knapp said. "They don't know. Maybe they are a little bit nervous. If I get the point, maybe Camila goes on the court a little bit more relaxed."

It appeared to work, and it helped Italy continue its recent success against the United States. The Italians topped the Americans in the Fed Cup the last three times they have played, including a 3-2 victory last year. There's no real secret to the recent success, as far as the Italians can tell.

"I just try to make the player in very good feeling to play the match, play without too much pressure," Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti said. "Playing in Fed Cup is always difficult for the pressure that you have. You play for your team and you play for your country. That is very tough, it's very difficult. I just want to try to make a good atmosphere in the team."

Angelo Santana and Hank Lundy highlight Feb. 21 fight card at Wolstein Center.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Boxing promoter Don King is bringing a fight card to Cleveland State's Wolstein Center on Feb. 21 featuring Angelo Santana (14-1, 11 KOs) vs. Hank Lundy (23-3-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight main event that will be televised on Showtime.

A press conference with Mayor Frank Jackson and other city officials is planned for Tuesday at City Hall. King is calling the promotion "Cleveland Show for People Care: Let's Do it for Cleveland, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow."

King's first boxing promotion was a charity event at Cleveland Arena in 1972 featuring Muhammad Ali to benefit the minority Forest City Hospital.

Opening the 10:45 p.m. telecast on Showtime will be a 10-round super lightweight bout between Amir “Young Master” Imam (12-0, 11 KOs), and Jared “The Quiet Storm” Robinson (14-0, 6 KOs).

Doors open at 7 p.m., and a full undercard will be presented prior to the televised matches. Tickets go on sale Thursday through the Wolstein Center box office and website wolsteincenter.com or by calling Charge-by-Phone 1-877-468-4946.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two teams that have never won a team state title in wrestling will meet for the Division I title Saturday night at the state wrestling dual team tournament. No. 3 seed Brecksville-Broadview Heights won eight of the first nine matches in its semifinal with No. 2 Archbishop Moeller, 45-21. No. 1 Massillon Perry also won in...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two teams that have never won a team state title in wrestling will meet for the Division I title Saturday night at the state wrestling dual team tournament.

No. 3 seed Brecksville-Broadview Heights won eight of the first nine matches in its semifinal with No. 2 Archbishop Moeller, 45-21. No. 1 Massillon Perry also won in a romp, ousting defending champ St. Edward, the fourth seed, 48-15.

Finals are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Click here to follow live updates on today's matches from Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters Scott Patsko and Nathaniel Cline.

In Division II, No. 3 Perry was eliminated by No. 2 Claymont in the semifinals, 34-25. Claymont will face top-seed and defending champ St. Paris Graham in the final.

In Division III, No. 1 Delta and No. 2 Dayton Christian wrestle for the title.

The Bees were the only team to pull off an upset through the quarterfinals and semifinals Saturday. That is, if you go by seeding.

The Bees races out to an 18-0 lead on Moeller and never slowed. Three straight pins from Luke Strnad (152), Austin Strnad (160) and Troy Lang (170) closed the door on the Crusaders and put the Bees in the final.

Massillon Perry won the first four matches and nine of the first 10 against the Eagles and clinched victory after 160. Hunter Ladnier (132), Gabe Dzuro (182), Jared Campbell (195) and Ralph Nichols (285) won matches for the Eagles.

"Massillon Perry is very impressive," said Eagles coach Greg Urbas. "They look like they're really clicking on all cylinders. It should be a real barnburner here in the next match (vs. Brecksville-Broadview Heights)."

The Eagles advanced to the semifinals with a 35-20 win over Oregon Clay in the quarterfinals. Urbas doesn't want his team to forget wins like that, or the successes leading up to Saturday.

"It's a new season. All the work they've done has not been thrown away," said Urbas. "Sectionals start Friday and we have to be ready and we have to correct any mistakes. I told them I'm proud of the work ethic throughout the season. We can't throw that away. We can build on what we've done, learn from today's match."

In Massillon Perry, the Bees face a team that has finished runner-up at the individual state tournament nine of the last 11 years. They enter Saturday's final with five returning state placers, including defending champ Jose Rodriguez (113). The Panthers lost to St. Edward in last season's state dual final.

After the loss to Claymont Saturday, Perry coach Dave Rowan said it is now time to prepare for sectionals.

"They are a good team," Rowan said of Claymont. "I think our boys wrestled their best, but some things just didn't go our way. It was a nice, we've come a long way to get to this point."

Getting semifinal wins for Perry was Aaron Gessic (132), Evan Schenk (152), Cameron Winters (160), Alec Schenk (182), Kyle Kremiller (195) and defending state champ Billy Miller (285). The Pirates won five of the final seven matches, but couldn't make up enough ground.

Padua and Rootstown were eliminated earlier in the day. In Division III Rootstown lost its quarterfinal to Tuslaw (44-24) , and Padua lost to Perry (48-15) in Division II.

State Wrestling Dual Team Tournament

Semifinal results

DIVISION I

BROOKLYN, Ohio — The Rocky River hockey team controlled the game in nearly every facet en route to a 4-0 win over Mentor Saturday night in a Baron Cup I semifinal game at John Coyne Rec Center in Brooklyn. The Pirates outshot the Cardinals, 60-17.

BROOKLYN, Ohio — The Rocky River hockey team controlled the game in nearly every facet en route to a 4-0 win over Mentor Saturday night in a Baron Cup I semifinal game at John Coyne Rec Center in Brooklyn.

The Pirates outshot the Cardinals, 60-17.

Rocky River advances to Sunday’s Baron Cup I final, where it will play either Hudson or Shaker Heights at 5:30 p.m. in Brooklyn.

This post will be updated with reaction and video.

The teams skated to tie in the fist period, but Rocky River dominated the possession, rattling off 14 shots against Mentor goalie Johnny Hagan.

The Pirates continued to control the game in the second period, getting off 25 shots, but settled for just one goal on a power-play score from Matt Forlini midway through the period.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Wrestling becomes the third U.S. Olympic sports team to sign on with the massive sports complex in Geneva.

GENEVA, Ohio – Spire Institute has picked up another major client. USA Wrestling has reached an agreement to use Spire facilities for training camps and other activities at the massive sports complex, both organizations announced Saturday.

“This is not a short-term relationship,'' USA wrestling communications director Gary Abbott said in a phone interview. “Our national team and high performance staff are looking for ways to be involved in many different ways. The Spire announcement is important for us because it gives us more flexibility with locations on how to make our athletes better.''

Athletes are to train there on a scheduled basis, most often in training camps.

Abbott added the location made sense because of the high degree of wrestling interest in the region. The agreement does alter the status of other USA Wrestling facilities.

Spire's field & courts building will be used for much of the on-mat training.

Spire has a working relationship with two other U.S. Olympic national governing bodies, USA Track and USA Paralympic Basketball.

Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert is known for his passion and energy. Those are two qualities lacking in his team. Firing Chris Grant two weeks before the trade deadline doesn't change that.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Chris Grant turned Mo Williams into Baron Davis into Kyrie Irving, with a little bow-tie karma from Nick Gilbert.

He signed Andrew Bynum and turned him into Luol Deng – perhaps to Deng’s dismay but smart work nevertheless.

That’s the GM you want to fire two weeks before the trading deadline? Really? When some of the best work Grant did came via trades?

Not much of what Dan Gilbert said or did Thursday made sense. Gilbert is a smart guy. So when he defends keeping Mike Brown by saying he believes Brown has talent to work with and will succeed with that talent, you scratch your head since Grant procured the players Gilbert trusts are good enough to turn it around.

Makes you wonder if the unconscionable loss to the Lakers didn’t bring about a showdown where Grant and Gilbert disagreed on whether the Cavs should be sellers or buyers at the All-Star break. Especially when Gilbert's answer to the question of buyer or seller was so vague Thursday.

That at least would explain why Gilbert found it feasible to blow out an executive who no doubt had spent a season exploring trade possibilities. Now what? Gilbert makes the trade deadline deals himself, off the leg work of interim GM David Griffin?

You may remember a hollow grand gesture or two from Gilbert’s past. But firing Grant in midseason is the grandest, hollowest one of all.

The argument that Gilbert had to do something needs exploring. He has done something previously to send the message that he is on the job, won’t settle for underachievement and will spend and do whatever necessary to turn this franchise into a winner.

The letter to fans after LeBron James departed was something he did. It won him the trust and loyalty of his fan base. That fan base has stuck with the Cavs through three years of wandering in the desert. They’ve kept coming to games. They’ve kept watching.

What they’ve seen mostly this season is a young team that doesn’t seem much interested in listening to the defense-centric sermons of head coach Brown. What they’ve seen is a team that doesn’t know how to compete, or, worse, isn’t interested in competing.

Gilbert had a chance to address the problem by walking into his own locker room, with Grant and Brown at his side and reading his players the riot act the way he read it to the departing James, the way he read it to commissioner David Stern when the proposed trade of Chris Paul to the Lakers was in the news.

Gilbert can use his passion effectively. It’s won him more forgiveness than almost any owner has enjoyed in this town. The fact that Gilbert chose instead to fire his GM in midseason was a surprise. As an owner, he hasn't been your basic pound-of-flesh executioner.

Firing Brown the first time seemed angled toward keeping James in town. Hiring Brown back was Gilbert admitting to a mistake. Does anyone doubt after all the ugly words aimed at James that Gilbert wouldn’t take him back? He’s a business man first and foremost.

How does firing his GM in midseason qualify as a good business move? What's the strategy? Is anyone naïve enough to think that the Cavs' lack of heart is Grant's fault?

As a customer, do you suddenly feel good about the franchise with Grant out of the way?

Look, if Gilbert has decided he can’t trust Grant with another high pick in next year’s draft, that’s one thing. But that’s next season. This is two weeks before the trade deadline. And when you stand up there firing your GM while extolling the talents of the roster he built, you make yourself look as delusional as you’ve ever come across.

And without guaranteeing a Cavs title before James wins his third, that’s not easy to do.

“We’re going to see Mike Brown succeed this year,” Gilbert said Thursday. “I think he will be able to do good things in the next 30 games or so. I think this team is going to be able to do good things. They’re going to look at each other, look in the mirror, and they’re going to rally. We’re going to do everything we can to give them the air cover they need.”

I’m not surprised Gilbert didn’t fire Brown. How embarrassing it would be to fire him for the second time, 50 games into a $20 million contract. He may even believe firing Brown would give the players an out, since Brown is demanding defensive effort on a nightly basis (but not coming close to getting it, of course).

Gilbert talked of a “cultural and environmental” change. Firing Grant in midseason and promoting his assistant is more like re-arranging the same furniture and calling it a fresh look.

SPINOFFS

• One more word on Gilbert protesting the proposed trade of Paul to the L.A. Lakers in a letter to the commissioner back in 2011.

“I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen,” he wrote “I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do. When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?”

Today he'd have to understand if the question people are asking is when will the other 24 teams join him.

• Colts head coach Chuck Pagano announced the hiring of former Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski as a special assistant. Pagano and Chudzinski go back to their days together at the University of Miami.

“He brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a tremendous help to our entire team moving forward,” Pagano said.

Chances of Pagano’s words ringing true are at least better than when he described Trent Richardson as a “rolling ball of butcher knives” following the September trade.

Sorry, I know I’ve mentioned that before, but it never gets old.

• Vinnie Pestano lost his arbitration case with the Indians and will make just $975,000 this season -- a raise of nearly half a million.

He was seeking $1.4 million but now will have to scrape by like the rest of us.

• The NBA fined Joakim Noah just $15,000 for a tirade in which he took care to drop the F-bomb individually on three referees before leaving the court.

At a mere $5,000 per expletive for a player making $11 million this season, new NBA commissioner Dean Wormer has sent a message that triple secret probation could be next.

• Adam Silver replaced Stern about a week ago. As Yahoo points out, Stern once fined Rasheed Wallace $30,000 simply for calling Hedo Turkoglu a “flopper.”

And he had truth as a defense.

• Clint Eastwood might’ve saved the life of AT&T tournament director Steve John by performing the Heimlich at a volunteer party this past week.

“I looked in his eyes and saw that look of panic people have when they see their life passing before their eyes,” Eastwood told the Carmel Pine Cone.

Before applying the maneuver, Eastwood did not, as you might suspect, look at John and say, “You've got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?’

• Eastwood is 83. John said, “I can’t believe I’m 202 pounds and he threw me up in the air three times.”

Eastwood is a man’s man. But my dream is a little different than most guys I know. If I can’t be Clint Eastwood for a day, I’d at least like to work at a place called the Carmel Pine Cone.

• Wade Phillips, who interviewed for the Houston head coaching job given to Bill O’Brien, said he told ownership the Texans should pick quarterback Johnny Manziel with the first pick in the May draft.

“That’s what I told them and I’m sitting here now without a job,” Phillips said.

Obviously, Phillips was kidding. Manziel won’t cost anybody his job until after he’s overdrafted.

• A Tongan luger, Fuahea Semi, changed his name to that of an underwear company, Bruno Banani.

I’d like to apologize for making fun of Donte Whitner’s plan to change his last name to “Hitner.” But I’d caution him to make sure the clerk of courts is paying attention and doesn't type the “n” as an “l.”

• Former Miami Dolphins lineman Richie Incognito Tweeted that Jonathan Martin’s agent, Kenny Zuckerman, is not very “trustworthy.”

Incognito, whose agent released a series of text messages between the two players – many of them raunchy -- quickly deleted it.

When such a high percentage of the correspondence between Incognito and Martin is unprintable references to sex and booze, is “trustworthy” the message you want out there for public consumption?

• Knicks head coach Mike Woodson reportedly expects to be fired at the All-Star break. He is quoted saying the Knicks season is “kind of a disaster.”

Or what the Cavs would call, “a turnaround.”

• Raise your hand if you had a nightmare Thursday involving Bob Costas’ pink eye.

• The first NFL mock draft after the scouting combine in Indianapolis is my second favorite waste of time -- behind the mock draft before the scouting combine.

• Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright said in a radio interview that his team would beat the Broncos 90 out of 100 times.

And Richard Sherman’s the cocky one?

• Russian snowboarder Alexey Sobolev, who printed his phone number on his helmet, had so many women send him naked pictures that his phone crashed.

That’s why “You Said It” contributors are careful not to share their cell phone numbers.

The two or three who can afford cell phones.

• Olympic question: Can it really be considered a “spoiler alert” for those watching the Games on tape delay if the results a certain media outlet are about to share are from the Olympic skiathlon?

Czech Republic's Sarka Pancochova crashes hard enough to split her helmet in women's slopestyle event Sunday

Czech Republic's Sarka Pancochova, center, is embraced by Britain's Jenny Jones, right, and Switzerland's Sina Candrian after Pancochova crashed heavily during the women's snowboard slopestyle semifinal at the 2014 Winter Olympics Sunday.Associated Press 

On a course where snowboarding superstar Shaun White said he would bypass rather than risk injury, Sunday's helmet-cracking crash by Sarka Pancochova of the Czech Republic gave many a momentary pause for athletes and fans alike.

On her second run, Pancochova fell while trying to land her first jump, slamming her head against the snow hard enough to crack the back of her helmet.

"Well, it seems broken, but that's what they are for, right?" Pancochova told the Associated Press.

The crash, in which Pancochova appeared to be momentarily knocked out, lit up the Twitterverse:

#Sochi2014 Czech Sarka Pancochova carries her smashed helmet after crashing during the Snowboard Slopestyle Final pic.twitter.com/Qg1Ab1npem

— AFP Photo Department (@AFPphoto) February 9, 2014

Ouch! Snowboard crash... Pancochova in slopestyle final.. http://t.co/Bu21QbHZRa

— Mars (@hekserij) February 9, 2014

It also brought one of the top sports documentaries of 2013, "The Crash Reel", to the forefront for some.

Is anyone else having trouble watching the Olympic snowboarding slopestyle comp without thinking about @lucywalkerfilm's The Crash Reel?

— Jessica Edwards (@filmfirstco) February 9, 2014

The movie tells the story of Kevin Pearce, who was the favorite to win the gold that White took in the halfpipe at the 2010 Winter Olympics. That was until Pearce crashed during training, sustaining head injuries that nearly killed him.

White, a friend and rival of Pearce, is interviewed in the movie. Given what he knows about the danger and his reported $20 million worth, maybe you can see why White declined to participate on a course he didn't feel was safe.

The snowboarding halfpipe finals, where White will try to defend is 2010 gold, will be Tuesday.

Evgeni Plushenko won the men's and women's free skates Sunday to help Russia take the gold in the new team event at the Sochi Olympics.

Evgeni Plushenko of Russia competes in the men's team free skate figure skating competition at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.Associated Press 

SOCHI, Russia (AP) -- Russia won its first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics on Sunday, taking the new team figure skating event even before the ice dancers finished up.

Evgeni Plushenko and Julia Lipnitskaia secured the gold by winning the free skates, thrilling the Iceberg crowd that was almost completely comprised of their countrymen.

Russia had 67 points with the ice dance yet to come, and Canada was next with 56 points. The United States stood third with 50, while Japan and Italy had 45 each.

While not as magical as in his short program to open the competition, Plushenko was good enough. He scored 168.20 points to win.

Three-time world champion Patrick Chan of Canada and short program winner Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan did not compete, resting for the individual men's event. They were replaced by the lower-ranked Kevin Reynolds and Tatsuki Machida, respectively, and they finished second and third.

Next up is the free dance to complete the competition.

See complete results here

Karin Knapp tops Alison Riske 6-3, 7-5, in the match between the two country's No. 1 seeds.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Karin Knapp needed more than one try to finally put away Alison Riske.

She needed five tries, in fact.

But Italy's No. 1 seed finally topped the United States' submission for a No. 1 seed, Riske, 6-3, 7-5, a victory that propelled Italy to the Fed Cup triumph over the United States on Sunday at Public Auditorium.

Knapp cruised to a 6-3 victory in the first set, and was up 5-2 in the second before Riske came to life.

The 23-year-old American then won 12 of the next 15 points en route to evening the set at 5-5.

But Knapp prevailed in the final two games, including winning four straight points for the decisive game.

The two countries still will play a doubles match, which will not affect the outcome of the tie. Gates Mills' Lauren Davis will pair with Madison Keys to take on Italy's Nastassja Burnett and Alice Matteucci.

Russians win team skating gold, but was it fair?

Was there any surprise that Russia won the team skating event?

The made-up-for-TV event may have had predetermined judging, according to a report from a French paper.

Then again, what would be a Winter Olympics without figure skating controversy?

In 2010, Russian Evgeni Plushenko landed a quadruple toe loop/triple toe loop combination in the long program, but lost his lead and the gold medal to U.S. skater Evan Lysacek.

In 2002, two gold medals were given in the pairs figure skating after allegations of collusion among judges.

In 1998, an ice dancing judge tape-recorded another judge trying to predetermine the results.

And in 1994, it was Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding.

We'll see how NBC plays the team skating, in which the medals were determined before the final event because of long program wins from Plushenko and the teen most likely to be the darling of these Games, Julia Lipnitskaia.

On the mountain, for the second straight day the U.S. won gold in the snowboarding slopestyle. Jamie Anderson, who was considered the favorite, took the gold.

Meanwhile, it was a disappointing day for Bode Miller. The five-time Olympian finished eighth after recording two of the best three times in practice. Austria's Matthias Mayer won, which could lead to a big Olympics for the country which failed to medal in Vancouver.

Felix Loch of Germany celebrates after he crossed the finish area to win the gold medal during the men's singles luge final at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sunday.Associated Press 

OTHER MEDALS

• The Netherlands' Ireen Wust won the 3,000-meter speedskating title, her second gold in the event over the past three Olympics.

• Felix Loch of Germany won his second straight Olympic gold medal in men's luge, holding off Russian Albert Demchenko.

• Switzerland's Dario Cologna pulled away from the pack on the final hill to win the men's 30-kilometer skiathlon.

• Slovakia's Anastasiya Kuzmina became the first woman to successfully defend an individual Olympic biathlon title by winning the 7.5-kilometer sprint.

• Poland's Kamil Stoch went 105.5 meters on his first jump and held on to win the gold in the men's normal hill individual ski jump.

NBC SCHEDULE

all times Eastern

2-6 p.m. -- Figure Skating - (Team Event Gold Medal Final: Men's Free Skate); Women's Biathlon - 7.5km Sprint Gold Medal Final; Women's Speedskating - 3000 Gold Medal Final; Men's Cross-Country - Skiathlon Gold Medal Final

7-11 p.m. -- Figure Skating - (Team Event Gold Medal Final: Ladies' Free Skate, Ice Dancing Free Dance); Men's Alpine Skiing - Downhill Gold Medal Final; Women's Snowboarding - Slopestyle Gold Medal Final; Men's Ski Jumping - Individual K-95 Gold Medal Final

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. -- Figure Skating - Team Event Gold Medal Final Postgame; Men's Luge - Singles Gold Medal Final Runs

BROOKLYN, Ohio – The West Geauga hockey team showed what its offense was made of as the Wolverines shutout Parma, 6-0, to claim the Baron Cup III championship on Sunday at John Coyne Recreation Center. The Wolverines wasted no time as James Kern took a feed from Tom Karlsson and deposited it into the back of the net for...

BROOKLYN, Ohio – The West Geauga hockey team showed what its offense was made of as the Wolverines shutout Parma, 6-0, to claim the Baron Cup III championship on Sunday at John Coyne Recreation Center.

The Wolverines wasted no time as James Kern took a feed from Tom Karlsson and deposited it into the back of the net for the score less than three minutes into the opening frame.

Following a slashing call against the Redmen, the Wolverines got a pair of power play goals over the course a minute to extend their lead to 3-0.

The first power play score began with Skyler Rossbach winning a faceoff near the Redmen goal and dished it to Karlsson then who found the back of the net with his shot.

Less than a minute later, Tate Georgevitch scored the Wolverines’ second power play goal of the period with the help of assists from Rossbach and Karlsson.

West Geauga tacked on one more before the first period was in the books. Rossbach weaved his way in front up the Redmen goal and flicked it up and into the left corner of the goal for the Wolverines’ fourth tally of the first period.

Neither team blinked on defense for most of the second frame. That changed in the closing moments of the period.

Karlsson and Georgevitch each scored in the final 30 seconds to give West Geauga a 6-0 lead heading into the third. Karlsson’s goal came unassisted, much like his first goal against Olmsted Falls in the semifinals on Saturday. Georgevitch scored his off an assist from Kern.

Note: This story will be updated with quotes and a video.

West Geauga 6, Parma 0

WG: Georgevitch (2), Karlsson (2), Kern, Rossbach. P: None.

Goalies: WG, Judson (17 shots-17 saves), Sheets (3-3); P, Scott (39-33).

"I've said a million times I'm not always so affected by the results," Miller said, and it was hard not to notice the "always" added in there. Because it was clear this time was different.

Sochi Olympics 2014: Bode Miller can't live up to expectations in the downhill (Politi) (via NJ.com)

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia - The skier who always insisted that results would never define him looked up at the scoreboard, then leaned over his ski poles and rested his helmet on his fists. Bode Miller had spent a career telling the world that there...

Jamie Anderson's consistency paid off in the slopestyle and the ever-unpredictable Bode Miller was eighth in an upsetting day on the downhill course.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – A stunning upset, a home team victory, an American sweep and a historic sliding final highlighted a busy Sunday at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

The United States completed the snowboard slopestyle gold-medal sweep with Jamie Anderson winning the women's gold, following Sage Kotsenburg's victory Saturday in the new Olympic event. Of note, Great Britain's Jenny Jones was the bronze medalist, her country's first Winter Olympics medal, and perhaps giving the British winter team something to be known for other than ski jumper Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards.

After its failure to win figure skating gold for the first time in 50 years at the 2010 Games, Russia began the Sochi Olympics figure skating program by winning gold in the new team event with President Vladimir Putin amid a jubilant crowd and Evgeni Plushenko, 31, capturing a modern Olympics record fourth figure skating medal. Canada was second and the United States third with ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White winning both the short and long programs.

In the always unpredictable men's downhill, Austrian Matthias Mayer, who had never placed better than fifth in a World Cup event, won the gold medal while favorites Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and Bode Miller were fourth and eighth, respectively.

Germany's Felix Loch, the youngest luge champion four years ago, became the third to defend his title. Silver medalist Albert Demtschenko, 42, of Russia became the oldest men's luger to medal, and bronze medalist Armin Zoeggeler of Italy became the first person to medal at six straight Winter Olympics. Demtschenko was competing in his seventh Olympics and won his second medal.

With the Dutch king and queen looking on, The Netherlands' Irene Wust won the women's 3,000-meter speedskating a half-second ahead of Czech defending champ Martina Sablikova. Switzerland's Dario Cologna, who had ankle surgery in November, won the cross country 30-kilometer skiathlon. Biathlete Slovakia's Anastasiya Kuzmina repeated as women's 7.5K biathlon sprint champ.

Competing under massive floodlights, Poland's Kamil Stoch won the final medal event Sunday, men's normal hill ski jumping.

Tonight's NBC primetime telecast begins at 7 p.m. and is to feature team figure skating, downhill, ski jumping and slopestyle.

Early tomorrow, center Kelli Stack of Brooklyn Heights, backup goalie Brianne McLaughlin of Sheffield Village and the U.S. women's hockey team play Switzerland at 5 a.m. EST. Switzerland features highly regarded goalie Florence Schelling, who made 64 saves in a 5-0 loss to Canada on Saturday. Stack scored a goal in Team USA's 3-1 win against Finland on Saturday.

Also Monday, American three-time Alpine medalist Julia Mancuso competes in the the women's super combined (one downhill run, one slalom run). Finals also be held in men's speedskating long track 500 metes and short track 1,500, men's moguls, and men's 12.5 biathlon pursuit. Twelve consecutive days of curling begins and, in its quest to bounce back from a disappointing 10th-place finish in 2010, the U.S. men open Monday against 2010 bronze medalist Norway and silver medalist Switzerland.

The only U.S. victory came courtesy of the American doubles team featuring Gates Mills' Lauren Davis and Madison Keys.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – All Alison Riske had to do was topple Italy's No. 1-seeded player, keep the entire United States' hopes alive in a single match, and gather enough momentum for her teammates to stage a comeback never before accomplished by the Americans in the Fed Cup.

That's all.

It was a monumental undertaking for Riske, the 23-year-old who assumed the United States' No. 1 seed in a late switch by captain Mary Joe Fernandez, and it proved to be too much against Karin Knapp when the Italian's serve was scorching and her groundstrokes were potent.

Knapp slid past Riske 6-3, 7-5, and pushed her country to a 3-1 Fed Cup victory over the United States on Sunday at Public Auditorium.

The U.S. doubles team of Gates Mills' Lauren Davis and Madison Keys cruised past the Italian doubles team of Nastassja Burnett and Alice Matteucci 6-2, 6-3 in the final "dead rubber" match of the day. Davis earned the loudest ovations of all from her hometown crowd, where she said about 50 of the 2,759 in attendance were people she knew.

"Basically my whole hometown," she said.

"I would say half the crowd," Fernandez corrected.

By the time Davis took the court with Keys, however, the fate of the United States already had been decided, thanks to Knapp's powerful play. It was Knapp's second match in two days, and her second time to show off how well her serve was falling into play and how precisely she could find the lines for winners.

Only when Riske fell behind 5-2 in the second set did Knapp begin to show the slightest of cracks.

"I got a little bit nervous," she admitted. "I got a little bit of emotion."

Riske won 12 of the next 15 points en route to knotting the set 5-5.

But Knapp fought to a 6-5 lead, and then closed the set with four straight, powerful points.

"She was serving really well today, so it was just a matter of weathering the storm," Riske said. "Sometimes I wasn't able to consolidate the break by holding my serve, so it was a long day."

Riske, like two of her three teammates, didn't have any Fed Cup experience to draw upon in the pressure-packed moment. And she didn't have history on her side, either -- the United States began Sunday 0-10 when beginning a Fed Cup tie 0-2 the first day. And the Americans had lost to Italy the last three times they faced each other in Fed Cup play, including last year's first-round match.

The lack of experience led the United States' top player out with a back injury, Serena Williams, to send encouraging texts to Fernandez to relay to her team.

"Tell her to hit more forehands," one read during Christina McHale's match against Knapp on Saturday. "Tell her to hang in there," said another when Keys was being stomped by Camila Giorgi.

"It was like she thought I was actually looking at my phone while they were playing," Fernandez said.

With Williams on the team, the outcome might have been different for the United States – even though Fernandez called this inexperienced group one of the "best weeks ever as Fed Cup captain."

"The Italians have a lot of depth," said Fernandez, who has captained the U.S. team for six years. "That's the direction we're heading in. We're starting to have a lot of depth and a lot of choices."

And now, the Americans even have some experience, even if it comes in defeat.

"It's a priceless opportunity to play in a stand like that and to have that pressure on you," Riske said. "You can't replicate that."